The present invention relates to pasta products, particularly multi-layered pasta products and more particularly to a lasagne product, and to providing such products, particularly when frozen, in a manner for preparation for consumption and to the preparation of such pasta products for consumption.
Conventionally, lasagne are made from sheets of pasta, which, cooked or un-cooked, raw or dehydrated, are layered and a sauce is between the layers, in a baking tray. Depending on the size of the tray, each pasta layer may be constituted of one or more sheets of pasta abutting or slightly overlapping. Normally, the sauce is tomato, bxc3xa9chamel or cheese sauce, meat and tomato sauce or a combination thereof. The layered product is then baked in an oven.
Frozen lasagne are available as a ready meal. Such products are prepared in a tray in a conventional oven or by microwave heating in a microwave oven. Re-heating time for a 600 g lasagne is approximately 40 min. in a conventional oven and 20 min in a microwave oven.
The present invention provides a method of preparing an alimentary product with pasta layers, said method comprising the steps of providing a plurality of disconnected segments of an alimentary product, each segment comprising layers of pasta, arranging the segments in a pan, adding a cooking liquid to said pan, and heating the segments and the cooking liquid.
In a particular application of the method of the invention, it is used for providing a multi-layered product having at least three layers of pasta with a sauce present at least between two of the sheets, that product being referred to hereinafter in this specification as lasagne. The method then comprises the steps of providing a plurality of individual segments of lasagne, arranging the lasagne segments in a pan, adding a cooking liquid to said pan, and heating the lasagne segments and the cooking liquid, the method having been found surprisingly to provide, as compared with previous lasagne preparation methods, a substantially reduced heating time for providing ready-to-eat lasagne from a frozen product.
It has surprisingly been observed that the individual segments of lasagne after re-heating may form one unit of lasagne. The amount of cooking liquid is adjusted to the volume of the lasagne segments and the heating temperature used. To that end, it is preferred that during the heating of the lasagne segments and the cooking liquid, substantially all the cooking liquid is either absorbed in the lasagne segments or evaporated. As the cooking liquid evaporates or is absorbed during the cooking, the pasta in the lasagne segments will tend to stick together and form a united lasagne.
In the present invention the cooking liquid is a cooking or heating medium, e.g. water, milk, bouillon, stock, etc. which is added separately from the alimentary product with pasta layers.
It will be appreciated that the present invention distinguishes alimentary products wherein the segments comprising pasta layers are provided in a liquid sauce, e.g. canned ravioli in sauce, the heating of which is done by pouring the sauce with segments in a pan and heating it. In the present invention, the segments are disconnected, i.e., they are not joined in a liquid sauce.
The lasagne segments and the cooking liquid may be heated to at least 50xc2x0 C. in the pan, however, the lasagne and the cooking liquid are preferably heated to at least 70xc2x0 C.
In the present context a pan is a cooking tool which is to be placed on hot-plates. Thus a pan may for instance be a conventional pan, saucepan, a pot with a flat base, a casserole, etc. Advantageously, a non-sticking pan such as a TEFLON pan may be used.
Furthermore, it has surprisingly been observed that frozen lasagne can be prepared in a pan with the layers of pasta and meat filling, the meat filling remains substantially between said layers after re-heating. It has also been found that if the lasagne are provided with sauce as a top layer with the right viscosity of the sauce, it will remain as topping.
The lasagne of the invention are easily portionable for serving, which is generally not the case for conventional lasagne due to the sheets of lasagne extending throughout the whole width of the lasagne. In addition, the consumer is free to choose to prepare a desired size of lasagne, whereas it is inconvenient to divide conventional frozen lasagne, as they are frozen in a block.
Although the invention is particular useful for lasagne, the alimentary product comprising pasta layers may also be e.g. ravioli, tortellini, cannelloni or other pasta products comprising pasta and a filling or sauce. The sauce may for instance be a sauce or other conventional filling for lasagne, e.g. using a meat fish, vegetable base.
Advantageously, the filling sauce, such as tomato sauce, e.g. with meat or vegetable pieces, for the lasagne according to the invention, has a viscosity of max 2 cgr. Bostwick (60 sec at 15xc2x0 C.). A preferred cheese sauce has a viscosity of 10 cgr Bostwick (60 sec at 60xc2x0 C.).
An additional advantage of the lasagne segments of the invention is that, if desired, they may be arranged to give an untraditional presentation shape of the lasagne. For example they may be arranged in a star or in other patterns. However, they may also be arranged in a traditional block formation. Shape variation is not possible with the conventional type of lasagne due to their being one big block. Furthermore, the lasagne segments may be heated in a microwave oven with a good result.
The method according to the invention may optionally be used for preparing alimentary products that have not been frozen or are thawed. However, the invention is particularly suitable for the preparing or reconstituting of frozen lasagne.
It will be understood that the various shapes of lasagne segments can be used. Nevertheless, it has been found that if lasagne segments are rhomboid-shaped, they are particularly appropriate for arranging within a pan with a round heating surface due to their ability to, in combination, substantially fill out the whole of the heating surface. Furthermore, the cross-section of such segments allows for a quick heating. Advantageously, the segments are arranged with gaps between them. This allows for a quicker heating of segments as a result of the sides of the lasagne segments being in direct contact with the cooking liquid.
It is preferred that the alimentary product comprises blanched pasta sheets. However, it is possible that the pasta sheets may be raw or dehydrated. The cooking time of the lasagne segments and the added cooking liquid will, however, have to be adjusted accordingly.
The lasagne segments may comprise at least two layers of pasta. However, it is preferred that the lasagne segment comprises at least three layers of pasta.
The size of the segments may vary. Nevertheless, it is preferred that the segments are not shorter than 2 cm. If the segments are too small, arranging them in a pan is too laborious. However, if the segments are too big they may be difficult to arrange in the pan in a suitable manner and the heating time will be increased. Consequently, it is preferred that the largest dimension is not longer than 15 cm, preferably not more than 12 cm.
Conveniently, the unit weight of a segment is from 20 to 80 grams, preferably from 40 to 60 grams.
In order to provide a good heating of the lasagne to be heated, it is preferred that the lasagne segments are 2 to 3 cm thick, most preferably about 2 cm.
It may be desirable to provide the upper surface of the segments with a browning or gratin. For this, the upper layer of lasagne is coated with, for example, a cheese or cheese sauce and passed beneath a grill or another type of heating element. Instead of such an upper cheese sauce or as a compliment thereto, a grated cheese topping may be provided. Furthermore, colouring agents may be used to enhance the colour of the top surface of the lasagne.
When the consumer arranges such segments in the pan, the browned or gratined surface should consequently be facing upwards.
In a particular preferred embodiment of the invention the lasagne are prepared in accordance with the method described in U.S. application Ser. No. 09/092,336, filed on the same day as this application, and also in European patent application with the title xe2x80x9cEncapsulated Alimentary Product Comprising Pasta and Fillingxe2x80x9d, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. In the method of the these applications, the alimentary product production comprises the steps of providing the lasagne segment with an edible coating encapsulation, preferably a sauce encapsulation.
In the coated embodiment of the invention, the lasagne has a coating of sauce on all surfaces and thus also on the side and at the base of the lasagne segments. This allows for a cooking in a pan on a hot plate which may result in an easy release of the lasagne from the pan after heating.
As mentioned above, the invention is not limited to the preparation of lasagne. Optionally, also other types of pasta products comprising layers of pasta and filling arranged between said layers may be prepared in accordance with the method of the invention. Depending on the meal to be prepared, the amount of cooking liquid and the degree of evaporation of the cooking liquid required in the preparation may vary. Other pasta products which advantageously may be prepared, are meals comprising, for example, ravioli or tortellini. For this, the segments are then constituted by the individual ravioli or tortellini. In general the considerations on process conditions and the preferred recipes given above may also be applied on other pasta products comprising layers of pasta.